Refrigerator door latch



- A. E. NAVE Nov. 28, 1939.

REFRIGERATOR DOOR LATCH Filed Nov. 8, 1937 Patented Nov. 28, 1939 UNITED STATES REFRIGERATOR DOOR LATCH Alfred E. Nave, Evansville, Ind., assignor to Servel, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Del Application November 8, 1937, Serial No.,173,497

11 Claims. (Cl. 292-332) 'Ihis invention relates broadly to latch mechanism and is particularly concerned with latches of the trip action type for use on doors of refrigerator and like cabinets wherein it is desired to eiect a secure or tight closure of the door with a minimum of door-closing force or effort.

The present improved latch mechanism utilizes eccentrically directed spring thrust to urge the latch bolt into locked and unlocked or cocked positions, but instead of depending upon direct contact of the latch bolt with the striker, or

lower nose of the latter, to throw the springl past dead center, a coordinated striker and compound leverage mechanism is provided whereby l5 a minimum of force is required to trip the latch bolt when the door is swung to closed position and also to cock the latch when the door is opened. The latch bolt and trip lever mechanism is of simple and compact construction and occupies a minimum of space within the door casing. By compounding the tripping leverage when the doorv is closed, a relatively strong bolt spring may be utilized without unduly increasing the effort or force required to trip the bolt.

The primary object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a trip-action latch which throws and locks with a minimum of door-closing force or effort while at the same time permitting the use of a bolt spring of ample strength or thrust.

Another object of the invention is to provide a latch of the trip action type wherein a simple and compact compound leverage mechanism is utilized to tripy the latch, and in conjunction therewith a striker arranged so as to most effectively cooperate with the said leverage mechanism, the striker being constructed to permit adjustment to the most effective contacting po sition with respect to the trip lever.

o Another object of the invention is to provide a latch of the trip action type wherein a com.- pounding lever action is utilized to trip the latch bolt to locked position and easily operated means are provided in association with a door-handle to trip the bolt to unlocked or cocked position.

A further object of the invention is to generally improve latch mechanism as applied to refrigerator and like cabinets.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages will become apparent in view of the following description taken in conjunction with the drawing, wherein:

F18. 1 is a substantially central sectional view of a latch constructed in accordance with the features of the present invention, the Isection being taken horizontally through the front frame or door jamb of a refrigerator cabinet and the adjacent edge of the door pan or casing, the latch mechanism being shown in this gure in locked position; 6

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the latch bolt tripped to unlocked or cocked position; and,

Fig. 3 is a section taken substantially on the line 3 3, Fig. 1. 10

Referring to the drawing in detail, a portion of a refrigerator cabinet shell or casing is indicated at 5 and has therein a door jambor post 6. 'I'he casing 5 is formed with a depression or recessed portion 1 to accommodate an escutcheon 8.

Within the escutcheon a striker, generally indicated at 9 is mounted, said striker comprising a nose portion or keeper 9a and a trip portion 9b formed on clamped base portions having coacting slots I0 through which a securing screw 20 II is passed. 'I'his construction permits parts 9a and 9b to be adjusted with respect to one another for a purpose which will be more fully hereinafter explained. To insure securement of the parts 9a and Ilbin adjusted position, they may' 25 be formed with interlocking serrations as indicated at I2. Y

'I'he latch mechanism proper comprises a latch bolt I3, which is mounted to rotate on a pin or shaft I4, the latter having bearing at opposite 30 ends in the latch bolt housing indicated at I5 and including side walls I5a and cross-connecting or stop portion I5b, and which housing may be secured to the door pan or shelf I6 through the medium of flange portions I5c. 35

Coacting with the latch bolt and mounted on the same pin or shaft Il for independent rotation with respect to said bolt is a trip lever generally indicated at Il, said lever at its forward end being provided with a cam-shaped nose Ila 40 and at its rear extremity being shaped to provide a spring socket I'Ib. A bolt spring I8 is provided for urging the bolt I3 intolatched and unlatched or cocked positions, said spring being constructed so that its rear end is engaged in 45 the socket I1b amd its forward thrust is directed against the rear end of the bolt latch. To accommodate this arrangement, the spring I8 may be mounted on relatively slidable members such as bars I9 and 20. the' rear end of the spring 50 being connected to the bar I8 and the front end of the spring being connected to the`bar 20. The bar I9 has its one end engaged in a depression 2| formed in the socket IIb, and the opposite end of the bar 20 is engaged in a recess or de- 55 pression 22 formed in the rear end of the bolt latch. Y

It will be seen that this arrangement permits the -axial thrust `of the spring 20 to be exerted at one end against the bolt latch I3 while its opposite end is backed up by socket portion I1b of the throw lever I1, and that by oscillating the vlever I1, therear end of the spring is shifted from one side to the other of a center line of thrust perpendicular to the axis I4.

4 To limit the movement of the latch bolt, a stop pin 23 is secured in the latch bolt I3 and has its opposite ends projected into arcuate slots 24 formed in the side Walls I5a. of the latch bolt housing.

When the door is closed, the nose or cam portion I1a of the tripv lever I1 contacts the back portion 9b of the striker 9, thereby throwing the rear end of spring 20 past dead center from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 1. When this happens, the thrust of the spring is directed so as to rotate the latch bolt to locked position in contact with the part 9a of the striker.

To return the latch bolt to unlocked or cocked position, means are provided in conjunction with the door handle 25 whereby when the handle is grasped and pulled outwardly, its upper end is rocked inwardly and depresses push. bar 26, which at its forward end engages a forked lever 21 fulcrumed on a pin or shaft 28 mounted in the side walls I5a of the housing I5, the forked extremity of lever 21 straddling a portion of the latch bolt I3. Push bar 21 is formed with end abutments 26a and 26h, the abutment or end 26a, engaging the rear extremity of the lever 21 and the abutment 2Gb being adapted to contact the rear extremity or socket portion of the lever I1. As will be obvious, the handle 25a is pivoted at 29 and the push bar 26 is connected to the upper extremity of the handle for a limited freedom of movement or rocking action with respect to the handle. The conventional handle housing or casing 30 is also provided.

Whenvthe handle is grasped and pulledoutwardly to open the door, its upper extremity is rocked inwardly thereby depressing thev push bar 26 so that the end 26a of the latter rotates lever 21 to a point where spring I8 passes dead center, whereupon the latch bolt I3 is rotated to the left from the latched position shown in Fig. 1 to the unlatched position shown in Fig. 2, and at the same time the end or abutment 26h insures return of the lever I1 to cocked position. While abutment 2Gb may not be essential to effect movement of the rear end of spring I8 past dead center, it does insure against failure of such action.

It wil be seen that with this type of trip-action latch mechanism, a compound lever action is obtained by the nose I1a of the lever I1 striking the back part or striker proper of the striker assembly 9, the latch bolt itself serving as a latching means only and not being utilized to effect tripping of the spring. The .part 9b of the striker 9 may be positioned independently of part 9a to obtain maximum ease in the tripping action when the door is closed.

It will be understood that certain changes ln construction, design and arrangement of the various parts of the latch assembly may be adopted to obtain the desired results Within certain limits without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A latch comprising in combination with a striker,` a latch bolt mounted to rotate about a pivotal axis, a bolt spring mounted to exert thrust on said bolt to urge the latter into latched and unlatched positions, a trip member operatively associated with said bolt and spring but independently movable with respect to the bolt for shifting the line of thrust of said spring with respect to the axis of said bolt, said striker being mounted for contact by said member.

2. A door latch comprising in combination with a striker, a latch bolt mounted to rotate about a pivotal axis, a spring mounted to exert thrust pressure on said bolt to urge the latter to latched and unlatched positions, and a trip lever havmg an operative tripping connection with said spring and mounted to contact said striker when the door is moved to closed position and shift the line of thrust of the spring past dead center with respect to the axis of said bolt.

3. A latch comprising in combination with a .striker and a keeper, a latch bolt mounted to rotate about a pivotal axis, said keeper being arranged for engagement by said bolt when the latter is rotated to latching position, a trip lever mounted for rotation independently lof said bolt, a bolt spring having its one end arranged to exert thrust on said bolt .and at its opposite end having an operative connection with said lever whereby when the latter is rotated the thrust of the spring is shifted past dead center with respect to the axis of said bolt, said striker being mounted in proximity to said keeper for contact by said lever to rotate the latter in one direction and thereby trip the latch bolt into latched position, and means for returning the bolt to unlatched position and the lever to cocked position. 4. A latch comprising a bolt mounted for limited rotation about a pivotal axis, a trip lever also rotatable about said axis, a bolt spring having its one end mounted to exert thrust on said bolt and its opposite end operatively connected to said lever whereby when the lever is oscillated said spring is shifted into positions past dead center with respect to the bolt Aaxis to thereby exert a locking and unlocking thrust on said bolt.

5. A door latch comprising in combination with a striker and a keeper, a latch bolt mounted to rotate about a pivotal axis, said keeper being mounted for engagement by said bolt when the door is moved ,to closed position and said striker being spaced from said keeper substantially free of contact by said bolt, a trip lever alsomounted for rotation about a pivotal axis and having a camportion adapted to contact said striker, and a bolt spring backed up at one end by said lever and at its opposite end positioned to exert an axially eccentric latching andunlatching thrust on said bolt, the line of thrust of said spring being shifted past dead center with respect to the axis of said bolt when the lever contacts and is caused torotate by said striker.

6. A door latch comprising in combination with a striker and a keeper, a latch bolt mounted to rotate about a pivotal axis, said keeper being mounted for engagement by said bolt when the door is closed and said striker being associated with said keeper but spaced from 4the latter so as to be substantially free of contact by said bolt, a trip lever also mounted for rotation about a pivotal axis and having its one extremity camshaped for contacting said striker and its opposite end constructed to support a bolt spring, and a bolt spring backed up at one end by said lever and at its opposite end arranged to exert thrust on said bolt whereby when the lever is caused to rotate by contact with said striker the line of thrust of said spring is shifted past dead center with respect to the axis of said bolt.

'7. A door latch comprising in combination with a striker and a keeper, a latch bolt mounted to rotate about a pivotal axis, said keeper being positioned for engagement by said bolt when the door is closed and said striker being located in rear of and spaced from said keeper, a bolt spring, and a trip lever mounted on the same axis as said bolt and at its one extremity being formed with a cam portion adapted to contact said striker -when the door is moved to closed position and trip the latch bolt and at its opposite end shaped to support the rear end of said spring, the front end of the spring being arranged to exert thrust against the rear end of said bolt, and manually operable means for returning the latch bolt to unlatched position and said lever to a` cocked position when the door is opened,

8. A door latch assembly comprising in combination with a striker and a keeper, a latch housing, a latch bolt pivotally mounted in said housing, said keeper being mounted for engagement by said bolt when the door is moved to closed position and said striker being located inrear of said keeper and in spaced relation thereto, a bolt spring, a trip lever also pivotally mounted in said housing and having its front extremity cam-shaped for. contact with said striker and its opposite end of the bolt spring, the'opposite endl of the spring being arranged to exert thrust ,on said bolt, whereby when the door is moved to closed position the cam portion of said lever engages said striker and the lever is rotated and shifts the line of thrust of said spring past dead center with respect to the pivotal `axis of said bolt to rotate the latter to latched position, an -unlatching lever having an operative connection with said bolt and trip lever, and manually operable means for actuating said unlatching lever to return the latch bolt to unlatched position and the strip lever to cocked position when the door is opened.

9. A door latch assembly comprising in combination with a striker and a keeper, a latch housing, a latch bolt pivotally mounted in said housing, said keeper being mounted for engagement by said bolt whenthe door is moved to closed position and said striker being located in rear of said keeper and in spaced relation thereto, a bolt spring, a trip lever also pivotally mounted in said housing and having its front extremity cam-shaped for contact with said striker and its opposite end supporting and backing up the rear end supporting and backingup the r'ear y end of the bolt spring, the opposite end of the spring being arranged to exert thrust on said bolt whereby when the door is moved to-closed position the cam portion of said lever engages said striker and the lever is rotated and shifts the line of thrust of the spring past dead center with respect to the pivotal axis of said bolt to trip the latter to latched position, an unlatching lever pivotally mounted in said housing adjacent said bolt and having a portion engaging lthe bolt, a

push bar having Aan operative connection with said latter lever, and a handle connected to said push bar for depressing the same and actuating said unlatching lever.

10. A door latch assembly comprising in combination with a striker and a keeper, a latch housing, a latch bolt journaled in said housing, said keeper being mounted for engagement by said bolt when the door is moved to closed position and said striker being located in rear of said keeper and adjustable with respect to the latter, a bolt spring, a trip lever also pivotally mounted in saidhousing for rotation independently of said bolt, the front extremity of said trip lever having a cam-shaped nose portion and the rear extremity thereof being constructed to back up the rear extremity of said spring, the opposite end of said spring being arranged to exert thrust on said bolt whereby when the door is moved to closed position the nose portion of said lever engages said striker and the lever is rotated and shifts the line of thrust of said spring pastdead center with respect to the pivotal axis of `said bolt to rotate the latter to latched position, an unlatching lever pivotally mounted adjacent said bolt, the one extremity of said latter lever engaging said bolt, a push bar having an abutment adapted to contact said unlatching lever and another abutment adapted to contact said trip lever, and a handle operatively connected to said push bar for depressing the latter when the door isy opened to thereby throwthe spring past dead center and unlatch the bolt and cock the trip lever.

bination with a keeper and a striker spaced from said keeper, a pivotally mounted latch bolt, a bolt spring, a trip lever rotatable independently of said latch bolt and having a nose portion adapted to contact said striker when the door is closed and effect rotation of the lever to tripping position, lever and latchbolt to exert thrust on the latter, a door handle, and means associated with said handle for returning said lever to cocked position.

ALFRED E. NAVE.

l1. A door latch assembly comprising in comsaid spring being connected between said' 

